The present invention relates to a cable connector, and particularly to a cable connector that can promptly discharge static electricity accumulated on the cable connector and a mating connector when the cable connector engages with the mating connector.
As cable connectors become more dense and signal transmission speeds increase, shielding the connector from electronic magnetic interference and discharging static electricity become increasingly important to ensure proper signal transmission through the cable connector. Pertinent cable connectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 785,555; and Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 77204450, 77210069, 86102090, and 86102089.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional cable connector 5 includes a grounding mechanism. The grounding mechanism comprises a pair of studs 51 fixed in a metallic shroud 7, one or more grounding plate 52 positioned in a mating opening 50 of a dielectric housing 56, and one or more grounding member 520 enclosing and abutting against a metallic braid 60 of a wire 6. The grounding plate 52 is fixed between two adjacent terminals 53 and is appropriately separated by partitions (not labeled) of the housing 56. Thus, the grounding plate 52 is sandwiched between the two wires 6 terminated to the adjacent terminals 53, while the grounding member 520 around the wires 6 electrically contact the grounding plate 52. Thus, when a mating connector (not shown) engages with the cable connector 5, static electricity accumulated on the mating connector, the cable connector 5 and the cable 6 is discharged along a grounding path formed through a metallic shell of the mating connector, the studs 51, the shroud 7, the grounding plate 52 and the grounding member 520. However, such a grounding mechanism is complex and the manufacturing process is time-consuming thereby increasing costs.
Another type of conventional cable connector comprises one or more shields terminating one or more grounding wires included in a cable with which the cable connector is connected. When a mating connector engages with the cable connector, a shell of the mating connector will electrically contact the shields of the cable connector. Thus, a grounding path is formed through the shell of the mating connector, the shield and the grounding wire of the cable for discharging static electricity accumulated on the cable connector, the cable and the mating connector. However, such a grounding path is usually quite simple thereby just performing a simple function which may not fulfil grounding requirements under high speed and high frequency conditions.